Quick-acting shut-off valve



Sept 4 1923.

A. LA BELLE QUICK ACTING SHUT-OFF VALVE Filed April 18, 1922 Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED stares nnr'no'ny L'A BELLE, or cnrcaeo; InLIno'Is.

QUICK-ACTING SHUT-OFF VALVE.

Application filed April '18, 1922. Serial No. 554,867,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANTHONY LAVBELLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick-Acting Shut- Off Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to quick acting shutoff valves and to improvements therein for adapting said valves more readily to the use of dispensing from barrels, ca'sks and other containers liquids of any desired degree of density, such as lubricating and fuel oils, kerosene, and in fact, any uses to which valved faucets may be used in drawing -the liquid from cask-s.

The primary object of the invention is to provide in a valved faucet certain improvements hereinafter pointed out rendering the device proof against leakage and consequent loss of liquid from the dev1ce,-after its operation, and to provide a device that shall be economical to manufacture, that operates with the minimum degree of labor on the part of the operator, and which is quick acting in both starting the flow of liquid therethrough and in stopping the same, and which is simple in construction and not likely to get out of operative condition while in use. v

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description, which is directed to the preferred embodiment of the invention, as depicted in the drawings, the features of novelty being more particularly pointed in the appended claims.

In the said drawing, Fig. 1 is a "vertical sectional view through the casing of my vimproved valved faucet, the section being taken approximately on line 11 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Fig. '2 is an elevation view of the device of F ig, 1, with the observer looking at the device from the right hand side of the same, as depicted in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is'a fragmental sectional view on broken line 33 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing a detail of construction at the upper end of drical passageway in the horizontal portion 10 of the faucet, as indicaitedatlQ. At the' delivery end of the casing of the faucet,

there is a special housing surrounding a downwardly turned portion ;18 of the passageway for the purpose of forming means for housing and supporting the valve and the valvestem mechanism and comprising an upwardly extending branch, preferably 7 of material cast integral with the body 10 of the faucet, asindicated at 14, and also a downwardly extending portion 15 providing a specially formedmouth for the discharge end of the faucet and also a valve seat 16 adapted to co-operate with the specially formed conical cutoff valve 17, the latter being centrally perforated and carried at the lower, extremity of the valve stem 18 but preferably ona reduced .portion 19 of said valve stem 18, whereby a shoulder is formed-as at 19 'on the stem to prevent upward movement of the valve 17 on the stem,

the valve being locked in position against the'shoulder on the stem bymeans of the locking nut 20 adapted to co-operate with the screw threaded lower end of the reduced portion 19 of the valve stem. The upwardly extending portion 14: on the faucet body maybe in the general form of the frustum of a cone, "or otherwise formed, as desired, butit is preferred that the upper extremity of the part 1& be decreased in diameter to provide a reduced nipple, as indicated at 21, cent-rally perforated with the perforation extending therethrough into the interior of the faucet'chamber 12, 13 sothat the valve stem 18-may pass freely through said opening as it is reciprocated in opening and closing the valve 17 upon its seat. The perforation in the part lat is designated by reference character 22 in which the valve stem is shown passing therethrough in Fig. 1. Cooperating with the threaded nipple 21 is a conventional form of gland nut 24 recessed to form a housing for suitable packing as fiber and a wide range of packing equivalents, as indicated by reference character 23, with the lower and outer extremity of the housing interiorally screw threaded to cooperate with the nipple 21. The valve stem 18 passes through an opening in the top'ofthe gland nut 24 to reciprocate therethrough with the packing co-operating with the valve stem and casing to form a liquid tight joint and at the same time permitting the valve stem 18 to pass as freely therethrough as may be desired. The upper eX- tremity of the valve stem 18 is screw threaded, as indicated at 25, and receives thereon a threaded angular nut 26, which may be of hexagonal or other desired angular form to be easily turned either by hand or by the application of a suitable tool, (see Figs. 2 and 3). The nut 26 is provided with adepending central cylindrical portion, as indicated at 27 forming with the body of the nut 26 an offset or horizontal ledge, as indicated at 28, adapted to receive the upper end of the compression coil spring 29, which surrounds the upper end of the valve stem 18 with its lower end bearing against the upper end of the gland nut 24:. The parts 26 and 27 of this adjusting nut have a combined thickness, which, when perforated, and screw threaded to co-operate with the screw threaded upper end 25 of the valve stem 18, will allow a considerable range of adjustment of the spring tension adjusting nut 26 thereon. WVhen the nut 26 is adjusted in position on the stem it is kept from turning by reason of a diametrical slot 32, (see Fig. 3) formed on the upper surfa e thereof, in which the operating lever 33 is designed normally to rest, the said lever being pivoted at 34c to a suitable standard 36, preferably cast integral with the body of the faucet casing 10 and the valve stem housing portion 14, as shown in the drawing.

In the operation of the improved valved faucet, as shown and described, when the screw threaded portion 11 is inserted in the bung hole of a barrel or cask, the flow of the liquid through the faucet will be cut off by reason of the valve '19 being held against the seat 16 at the discharge end of the faucet, because of the normal upward thrust given to the valve stem by the coiled compression spring 29. Whenever the operator desires to draw liquid through the valved faucet by operating the lever 33 on its pivot 34 by grasping the handle 35 he will reciprocate the valve stem 18 downwardly against the action of the compression spring, 29 with the result that the conical shaped valve 17 will leave its seat 16 and a circular film or sheet of liquid will be discharged from the discharge end of the faucet, the thickness of the stream depending upon the extent to which the valve stem is depressed, and the consequent thickness of the discharge opening thus formed between the valve 17 and its seat. Even though liquids of high viscosity are being handled the proper adjust ment of spring 29 will cause the valve stem, when the handle 35 of the operating lever 33 is released, to be moved upwardly, thus bringing the valve 17 quickly to its seat and cleanly cutting off the further discharge of liquid from the device.

Thus it will be seen that the improved quick acting shutoff valve mechanism as ap plied to faucet construction or other apparatus may be operated with great ease to draw or pass liquids therethrough, and that upon the desired amount of liquid being drawn the valve will be self-closing so that danger of loss of liquid by leaving open the ordinary form of hand operated valves that require manual operation in both opening and closing is avoided, resulting in economies due to frequent losses of liquids in drawing through ordinary faucets, and at the same time making the work of the operator much easier than with the forms of valves that require manual operation both in opening and closing. Furthern'iore, the construction is such that the operator is required to hold the valve open during the entire time during the drawing of the liquid, which avoids the liability of leaving a faucet open when the handle is released by the operator and the resulting less of liquids, sometimes of an inflammable and dangerous character.

In order that the invention might be understood the details of the preferred em bodiment have been shown and described, but it is not desired to be limited, except as defined by the scope of the claims, for it will be apparent that persons skilled in the art may resort to various modifications, while at the same time availing themselves of the important features of the invention.

I claim 1. The combination in a valve controlled faucet, of a faucet casing having an inlet passageway therein, a discharge port communicating with said passageway of the easing, the walls of said. port being formed to provide a valve seat, a valve for said valve seat, a valve stem for operating said valve, there being an opening on one side of the casing through which the valve stem passes, means for normally forcing said valve stem in a direction to close said valve upon the valve seat, and a pivoted operating lever having a moving part thereof adapted to bear upon the upper extremity of the valve stem whereby to overcome the said valve stem closing means to operate the valve to its open position.

2. The combination in a valve controlled faucet, of a faucet casing having an inlet passageway therein, a discharge port communicating with said passageway of the easing, the walls of the port being formed to provide a valve seat, a valve for said valve seat, a valve stem for operating said valve, there being an opening on one side of the casing through which the valve stem passes, a compression spring surrounding the valve stem for normally forcing said valve stem in a direction to close said valve upon the valve seat, and a pivoted operating lever having a moving part thereof adapted to bear upon the upper extremity of the valve stem whereby to overcome the said valve stem closing means to operate the valve to its open position.

3. The combination in a valve controlled faucet of a faucet casing having an inlet passageway therein, a discharge port communicating with said passageway of the cas ing, the walls of said port being formed to provide a valve seat, a valve for said valve seat, a valve stem for operating said valve, there being an opening in one side of the casing through which the valve passes, a threaded nipple on the exterior of the casing surrounding the said valve stem opening, a perforated gland nut surrounding the valve stem and co-operating with the threaded nipple, packing material interposed between the said nut and the said threaded nipple for forming a fluid tight connection between the valve stem and the casing, a compression spring surrounding the valve stem for forcing the said valve stem in a direction to close said valve upon the valve seat, one end of the said spring bearing against the valve stem and the other end of the spring being seated upon the top of the said gland nut, and a pivoted operating lever having a moving part thereof adjacent to and adapted to bear upon the upper extremity of the valve stem whereby to overcome the said valve stem closing means to operate the valve to its open position.

4;. The combination in a valve controlled faucet of a faucet casing having an inlet passageway therein, a discharge port communica'ting with said passageway of the casing. the walls of said port being formed to provide a valve seat, a valve for said valve seat, a valve stem for operating said valve, the upper extremity of the valve stem being screw threaded and provided with an adjustable nut, there being a groove formed thereof contacting With a part of the faucet casing and the other end bearing against the said adjustable nut, and a pivoted operating lever having a moving part thereof adapted to engage in the said diametrically formed groove in the said adjustable nut whereby to overcome the action of the spring when it is desired to operate the valve to its open position.

5. The combination in a valve controlled faucet, of a casing having a chamber therein and a discharge port communicating with said chamber, the walls of saidport being formed to provide a conical valve seat, a valve in the form of the frustum of a cone adapted to cooperate with said conically formed valve seat in said port, a valve stem for operating said valve, elastic means posi tioned externally on said valve stem for operating said valve stem to a position to close the valve upon its seat,and a pivoted lever operable to engage the valve stem to move the same to the open position against the action of said elastic means.

6. The combination with a casing having a chamber therein and inlet and discharge ports communicating with said chamber, the discharge port being formed to provide a valve seat,a valve for co-operating with said seat, astem carrying said valve and mounted to operate through an opening in the wall of the casing, elastic means for operating said valve stem to close the valve, a lever adapted to bear against the valve stem to overcome the said elastic means in opening the valve, and means carried by the casing for the pivotal attachment of the said lever.

7. The combination with a casing having a chamber therein and inlet and discharge ports communicating with said chamber, the discharge port being formed to provide a valve seat, a valve for co-operating with said seat, a stem carrying said valve and mounted to operate through an opening in the wall of the casing, elastic means for operating said valve stem to close the valve,

a lever adapted to bear against the valve stem to overcome the said elastic means in opening the valve, and means formed integral with the casing for the pivotal at tachment of the said lever.

8. The combination with a casing having a chamber therein with inlet and outlet ports, the walls of the outlet port being formed to provide a valve seat, a valve for said valve seat, a valve stem for operating said valve, the upper extremity of the said valve stem extending on the exterior of the casing and being screw threaded and pro vided with a perforated member screw IOU B with a reduced cylindrical portion formed integrally therewith around the threaded perforat-ion, whereby a shoulder is formed at the union of the cylinder and angular portions of the said perforated member, and

10 a compression coiled spring around the valve stem on the exterior of the casing with one end bearing against the casing and the end thereof remote from the casing finding a bearing upon the cylindrical portion of the said perforated member and bearing against the said shoulder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 15th day of April, A. D. 1922.

ANTHONY LA BELLE. 

